What am I?
by matsun
Summary: Arthur Kirkland is a normal boy, who lives a normal life and he believes it should stay that way. So what happens when he meets a boy who can disappear at will? He embarks on a whole new journey. And no, it definitely doesn't involve falling in love with Alfred F. Jones. That wasn't supposed to happen at all... right? USUK - AU
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there (I couldn't think of a better greeting...). This is my first time posting fanfiction online, so I'm slightly nervous I guess. The main pairing in this is USUK and I don't think I'll focus too much on other ships. I may allude to a few, every now and then.**

 **Disclaimer: Hetalia does not belong to me.**

 **Rated T for occasional use of bad language.**

* * *

There I was, walking contentedly through the streets, feeling invincible in my mid-adolescent years – I cared for nothing, nothing except myself. And that was completely acceptable, the feeling was unanimous. I wasn't alone. I was normal and I hoped to remain that way.

My name: Arthur, Arthur Kirkland, a snooty, slightly arrogant and very ignorant middle-class boy living in south London. By society's standards, I was normal, free from judgement as I blended in with the crowds in the moderately dull colours of my uniform. Perfect.

I made a turn onto a side-street, or alley, and winced a little at the pungent smell of what was mostly cigarette smoke, blended with old urine and a slight trace of puke (although that might have just been my imagination) , wafting about my nose amongst various, other, suspicious scents. That was natural, as there were several pubs dotted about town.

There was nothing wrong here…

As I walked however, I had an odd, somewhat off-putting feeling settle inside me, even though nothing was out of place, nothing was out of the ordinary. And so, I continued down the footpath that wound onwards for about a minute. No-one was to be seen.

The air stilled out of the blue. All was silent and the trees ceased their rhythmical sways. I furrowed my thick brows; that was odd. Unconsciously, I slowed my steps a little and closed my eyes to blink.

When they opened, an unfamiliar figure was standing ahead of me.

That wasn't normal. No human could just appear in front of another like that. That would be preposterous. I rubbed my eyelids, it must have been a hallucination - I knew I needed more sleep last night – he was still there, oh bloody hell. I tried to compose myself enough to speak.

"C-can I help you?" A wide and toothy grin spread across his freckled face, which, when I took a closer look, seemed to significantly resemble my own. Not only that but his eyebrows were just as voluminous as my own and his hair was styled much like mine; a grotesque untameable mop of strawberry blonde, unlike my own, which was of a paler, sandy shade. Who was he? Some long-lost brother? He certainly looked the part - no, not with eyes like that; not a single member of my family had eyes in _that_ colour. They were blue, which is generally considered to be a normal eye colour - but this particular tone resembled one of the bloody highlighters in my pencil-case, which, without contacts, is not natural.

"Yes actually…" He reached into a small satchel that was hung from his shoulders. "Could you take this for me?" His voice was light, airy and strangely high… had he not gone through puberty yet? I inwardly slapped myself at the slightly judgemental thought. In his outstretched hands, was a book, thick and clad in pearl white leather, with intricate markings across the front in a bold black. Slightly perplexed, I gingerly took it from his hands into my own before examining it a little more. I noticed that it was secured tightly shut with a small silver latch. What on earth…?

"What is it?"

"Oh don't worry my dear, you'll find out when the time comes." I ignored the odd term of endearment as there were many other, more important things swimming through my head, which actually caused it to hurt a little but it wasn't anything I couldn't dismiss…for now. The strange look-alike in front of me let out a small giggle, before he vanished entirely.

And with that, I knew that, I, Arthur Kirkland had a not-so-normal life to look forward to. Marvellous.

* * *

 **And that's the first chapter! Uh... feel free to leave a review and tell me what you think, if you want to. Other than that, I don't have anything else to say really...**

 **More info on story/updates etc. on my profile! I should be posting the third and possibly fourth chapter this Sunday or something...**


	2. Chapter 2

**I had this already written, so I'm posting it along with the first chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Hetalia does not belong to me.**

 **Enjoy the story!**

* * *

My alarm clock yelled at me and I hissed back. Waking up at six in the morning was not on my to-do list. I mustered up all the strength I could just to reach over and silence the insufferable contraption.

Yesterday was unusual and quite alarming to say the least. Reflecting on it all had left me psychologically drained, yet in spite of that, my body refused sleep until midnight.

I changed into what was a simple, bland uniform: a pale white shirt, black trousers and striped tie, as well as a navy blue blazer, which was a size too big as the sleeves draped over my hands. When I whined about it to my mother, she told me I would grow into it, but with almost four years of wear, it was clear that wasn't going to happen. I recalled that one distasteful day in Year seven, where my eleven year-old self was picked on by the older children because of my bloody jacket looking very big and very stupid. I grimaced at the memory, at least it wasn't so bad right now… well, sort of, I still had that damn Frog taking the mick when he felt like it, which definitely did _not_ help.

When entering the kitchen, my older brother, Scott, was pouring some Shreddies into his cereal bowl. I poked him in the back so as to alert him to my presence.

"Mornin' squirt." He greeted, his voice deeper and more intimidating than my own.

"Good morning Scott." I sighed. Scott started to fill the kettle. "Make me some tea as well, please."

"Sure." I poured myself some cereal and began to eat. Soon after, Scott set a tea-filled mug beside me and I muttered a brief 'thanks' in response. We finished our breakfast fairly quickly and set out to leave for school. Scott was a good three years above me, already preparing for Uni, but nonetheless, we walked to school together. I pulled on my rucksack and shoes before we left at around 6:45.

* * *

It was almost half-eight as I walked into the classroom. Beside my usually isolated seat in the corner of the room sat an unfamiliar boy, shoulders hunched over and wavy dirty-blonde hair concealing his face. His arms were secured between his two legs and his head was turned to the side slightly, facing away from the other students milling about in the form room. I placed my bag on the floor beneath my seat, causing the boy to bristle slightly at the sudden movement close to him.

"Sitting like that can't be good for your back." I commented. He shot me a perplexed look, clearly not expecting such a statement.

"O-oh, um…" He straightened up, revealing his face, which sported deep violet eyes, shaded by rounded glasses. I let myself be seated next to him with a sigh.

"Well anyway, welcome to World Academy." I turned to him. "I'm Arthur by the way."

"Ah, well it's nice to meet you Arthur. I'm Matthew."

"I wish you the best of luck here, Matthew." I scoffed slightly. "You're going to need it, this school is filled with tossers – as you can see." I gestured to the students scattered about us, causing quite a racket. They talked endlessly about the most trivial of matters, all while filling themselves to the brim with junk-food, feeding on ' _tear-and-share'_ packs of skittles and all sorts of rubbish, all by themselves. It said _'tear-and-share'_ for a reason. And not only that, but when finished, they carelessly disposed of their rubbish on the floor, when there was clearly a bin nearby. Our tutor was most definitely going to be fuming when they-

"Good morning!" Everyone rushed to their seats and slid off of the tables that they were once sat on. Matthew let out a silent snicker at the sight. I reclined in my seat, arms held behind my head and a smirk on my face as our tutor gave the students a good scold. but in the process, it seemed that they had forgotten to formally introduce the new student sitting beside me.

"Do you want me to tell him…?" I offered, sighing in exasperation.

"No, it's fine, I'm not exactly a fan of attention."

"Fair enough." I agreed, I wasn't exactly fond of gathering attention from students such as these either. "What do you have first period?" Matthew fumbled around in his bag and pulled out his timetable. He scrutinized it briefly.

"English, I think." I brightened slightly.

"Oh really? I think we might be in the same class."

* * *

Matthew and I got along quite well – his introverted nature proved to be quite refreshing and he only talked when it was required - I found it difficult to be wound up by him. At lunch, he found himself joining myself… and Francis. The bloody frog who never ceased to vex me, a person who I had claimed to despise, even though, I knew that deep down, he was an invaluable friend. He wouldn't catch me dead saying that to his face though. I sat down in the seat opposite his, my lunch laid out in front of me (which was very edible, by the way).

"Bonjour, eyebrows." He placed his chin in his palm, the usual cocky grin stretched across his face. Oh how I wanted to punch it off of him.

"Greetings, beardie." I narrowed my eyes into a fiery glare, a deep growl forming at the pits of my throat. Then, the wanker's eyes fell upon Matthew and they glistened with excitement. Matthew seemed slightly uncomfortable at the sudden attention.

"Who is this new friend of yours?" He grabbed the Canadian's light hands quite enthusiastically, which resulted in him yelping in surprise. "He is… _parfait_." Matthew's cheeks went a dusty pink and then darkened slightly when Francis decided to follow his flirtatious statement with a wink. I gagged internally, the frog's romantic nature made me ill.

"Francis, for the love of the queen, could you _please_ leave your flirting for another time."

"Beauty should be appreciated, _non_? But you wouldn't understand, you Brits are far too sexually repressed." I curled my fists. The _nerve_. Insulting my nationality like that-

"I'll kill you!" I lunged at him, knocking his lunch off of the table in the process.

" _Sacre bleu,_ my food! You are too evil, that was the finest French food and you wasted it all!" Francis threw himself back at me. Our verbal fight had broken into a heated wrestle across the table and we forgot about Matthew, who observed quietly, both amused and mortified. We broke apart, both fuming.

"I hate you."

"Don't steal my lines, eyebrows!" He protested. Moments passed before he made the stupid decision of opening his filthy mouth again. "Ah _oui_ , I forgot to ask, what is your name?"

"Oh, um, _Je m'appelle Matthieu._ " Francis was taken aback, clearly not expecting such an answer.

" _Tu parles Francais?_ " Here we go.

" _Un peu…"_ Matthew answered shyly, averting his gaze a little. Francis grinned like an idiot - which he was – in response. I cleared my throat: this was far too sappy for my liking. "Oh sorry Arthur." Matthew laughed a little.

"It's fine." I huffed, puffing my cheeks ever so slightly

* * *

When the bell rang, I was left alone as Francis opted to show Matthew to his next class and so, they left together. I was used to solitude though, so it wasn't a huge problem. I made my way to physics, filtering myself through the dense crowd of students like sand in a funnel; my shorter, less bulky form made it easier to weave in, out and in beneath everyone. I pushed through some brainless pupils who deemed it intelligent to clog up the staircase by standing still and making informal conversation. It annoyed them but I paid them no mind, even as they threw insults at me up the stairs. I didn't have time for arseholes like that.

My physics class was just ahead. I sighed – It wasn't the most preferable of lessons in my opinion. I was perfectly fine in the subject and my grades were great but it took a lot of effort and hard work to keep those up. For a subject that I didn't enjoy, that was far too much. I didn't like science overall but it was better than a subject like P.E any day. For someone like myself, who had no physical capabilities whatsoever, P.E. lessons proved to be quite stressful and I spent a lot of my time staring enviously at those who were actually sporty.

I sat down and placed my books and stationary on the desk. Our physics teacher hushed the class, who were engaged in chatter. With her soft voice, it was difficult to get everyone to shut up.

"Okay, we have someone new today, I'd like you to make them feel welcome- where is he?" Miss Zwiligi rubbed her head in bafflement. I felt similarly but for different reasons, Matthew said he had food technology now, so who-

"Have no fear, the hero is here!" The door burst open, revealing a tall, tanned boy, with soft, neat, dirty-blonde locks, with an obvious cowlick pointing upwards. His cheesy smile was entrancing and hypnotic – made even more beautiful by the merry spark in his eyes, which were so blue… He looked… stupid. I, Arthur Kirkland, was most definitely _not_ checking this boy out like some of the hormonal teenage girls in my class were. First of all, I was certainly straight, not gay but straight and I was very happy being straight, perfectly, perfectly happy.

' _Yeah, keep telling yourself that Arthur.'_ That ugly voice in my head was so funny sometimes.

"A-Alfred F. Jones, could you please come in on time next lesson? I don't want to give you a detention..." Miss Zwiligi trailed off towards the last part. Bless the poor woman, she was so nervous sometimes but she was a good teacher when our class were bothered to show some respect and keep their mouths shut but she was otherwise pushed over effortlessly. "Now where should you sit…"She pondered, looking frantically around the classroom, her hands clasped against her chest.

"Anywhere is fine!" He exclaimed. The American's high-pitched, accented voice hurt my head. Why did he have to be so loud…? Miss Zwiligi's eyes settled on the empty seat beside me and lit up. Oh no.

"Why don't you sit next to Arthur?" I let out a small 'tsk' of displeasure. She pointed in my direction and Alfred headed towards me. He exhaled as he sat down. I felt my heart beat faster and harder. How odd…

All was good until he decided to open his mouth.

"Oh my goodness, dude, your eyebrows – they look totally hilarious!" He started to cackle, ignoring Miss Zwiligi as she began to teach the lesson. I scowled: were my eyebrows really that bad?

"If you're going to be rude then I will kindly ask you to bugger off." I spat, turning away with a small 'humph'.

"Nah, this is the only seat left, so you're stuck with me." He gave a tantalizing smirk, jeering at me. Who did this wanker think he was? Insulting me out of the blue like that…

"Well, don't expect me to talk to you then." I scoffed. Alfred raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Sorry dude, I didn't know you couldn't take a joke."

"Apology _not_ accepted." And with that, he burst into laughter again.

"Wow, your'e such a joker, oh my gosh." I blushed at what seemed to be a compliment. "What's your name again?" Had he forgotten after Miss had mentioned it only moments earlier?

"Arthur."

"Arthur…" Oh goodness, that sounded so sweet coming from his lips. "That's a cool name."

"W-what- why?" I sputtered, going beet red.

"Dunno, it suits you I guess." Okay…

"You're an idiot." The fact that he refused to take notes off of the board, furthered that notion. "Aren't you going to write anything down?"

"Nah, Physics is one of my good subjects." Well the lad certainly had confidence.

"Whatever you say." I exhaled as I wrote a keyword across the lined paper, and its definition alongside.

* * *

The bell rang, signalling the end of school. When I went outside, I saw that Alfred happened to be conversing animatedly with Matthew, and I noticed that they looked quite similar stood side-by-side. I decided to approach them, curious.

"You know him?" I asked Matthew, gesturing to a confused Alfred.

"Yeah, we're brothers."

"Adoptive brothers, well, technically. But Matt and I are close anyway." Alfred interjected. I was quite surprised. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought they were twins.

"Adoptive?" I regretted the question as they stilled slightly. "Oh sorry, I didn't know…"

"It's cool man." Alfred dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Which way are you walkin'?"

"Through town." I shrugged.

"Really?!" Alfred brightened. "Me and Matt are goin' that way too!"

"It's Matthew and _I._ " Alfred refused to acknowledge my kind correction of his atrocious grammar. I reverted my attention back to the subject at hand. "Why do you ask? Are you offering that I walk with you?"

"Yeah, why not?" The American shrugged. I hesitated, then agreed, causing Alfred to brighten slightly.

"Which way does Francis walk?" Matthew asked, curious.

"Walk?! Ha! That frog says he's too 'classy' to walk. His parents even paid someone to drive him home every day. That arsehole is filthy rich." I scoffed.

"Who's Francis?" Interjected Alfred.

"The biggest idiot to have ever walked this earth." I frowned in distaste and Alfred merely laughed.

"Well actually, I think he's quite nice." The Canadian beside me argued, smiling slightly. "I'm pretty sure that you feel the same, Arthur… deep, deep down."

"As if!" I snorted, how absurd. "Should we go?" And then we started walking.

* * *

Walking with Alfred was the worst idea I had ever had. For some reason the American seemed to _never stop talking_. Not to mention that he had been eating a rather large fucking bag of _tear and share,_ sour Starbursts and refused to offer any to Matthew or myself.

"Okay, so the other day, I went to a British McDonalds for the first time and I have to say, it was the most painful experience of my life. Like dude, why are your large fries so tiny?!"

And he continued to talk about mindless rubbish like that for _half an hour._ His mouth didn't shut on the way to the bus stop and when we caught the bus, that was a whole other story. Okay, so the bus had two decks, which wasn't the most exciting of things but Alfred seemed to think that it was the 'coolest thing ever'. I inched away from him as he started to take 'selfies' of himself left, right and centre, and posting them on various social media. I put a hand over my face, so as to not be making a cameo in any of his photos.

Relief washed over me when it was time for us to split.

I parted with the two brothers, red-faced as Alfred pulled me into a tight, friendly squeeze before he left, walking the other way. I tried not to think about how nice his arms felt around me. Such thoughts were unwelcome. With a shake of my head, I continued along my usual route home.

As I approached the odd footpath from yesterday, I wondered whether a repeat of the day's events would occur. I walked through, on alert, hands clasped toughly around the straps of my backpack. When I set a foot on the other side, I stole a suspicious glance behind me. My bag felt heavier as I remembered that inside it, was the strange book., which constantly reminded me that yesterday was anything but a dream.

I crossed the road and continued to walk along the pavement. Ahead of me, stood a park gate. I pushed it open and it made an audible creak as I did so. I entered onto a field, which was surprisingly empty all around. Only the wind and gentle rustles of the trees bordering the edges could be heard. I didn't understand – the field, generally, was loud and full of life; parents and primary-school children used to always go here in the afternoon. Was the park closed? No, that couldn't be, or the gates would have been locked. I took perplexed steps across the grass, which was like a great viridescent blanket, neatly spread across the ground. As if nothing were wrong, I crossed in a diagonal line, heading for the other side of the park, where another gate resided.

Then, I noticed a figure had positioned itself ahead of me. My eyes narrowed. Was that a person in front of me? I couldn't tell. From here, it looked like a black flame was burning on the other side. I seriously taken aback when it seemed to grow, using the ground as leverage to spread around, surrounding my. I darted for the opening, hoping to escape the bizarre scene before I found myself trapped. Was this some kind of sick joke? I skidded to a halt as my exit had closed, leaving no way out. In an attempt to get as far away from the flames as possible, I turned back towards the centre of the field, which was thankfully clear.

I unconsciously reached into my bag, which I had placed on the ground, and pulled out the book from yesterday, as if it were able to protect me. When I came back to my senses, I looked slightly baffled at the object; what did this have to do with anything? Before I got a chance to open the book in my palms, I was grabbed from behind, an arm tying itself forcefully around my neck, securing me in a firm headlock, which made me drop my book. My breaths, which were already panicked, grew shorter and even more terror-stricken. My captor drew a blade clad in dark flames much like the ones drawn neatly around the edge of the field. They moved their arm, so as to leave my neck open and vulnerable. The blade drew closer and I desperately tried to wriggle free, but it was to no avail as the already fierce grip on me had tightened. The blade had almost pressed itself against my neck…

It dropped. The thing behind me winced in pain, as if it had been punched and then, once again, out of thin air, the boy from yesterday had appeared, a small knife in hand. He then ran towards me and grabbed my wrist, pulling me away from the… I didn't know what it was. The creature, now pulling themselves to their feet, wore a mask akin to that of a masquerade and a cloak, which covered their whole body besides their hands, or claws. They were thin and hunched over in a predatory stance and despite me being right in front of him, he couldn't seem to see me. The boy from yesterday turned towards me and returned my book by shoving it into my arms.

"Open the book." He commanded, his voice stern. I complied. On the first page appeared what seemed to be a contract. "Sign at the bottom."

"What, why?!"

"I'll explain later. Look, I can't keep us safe for long, so I need you to hurry up." He fumbled through his trouser pockets. "Here, use this pen." I took the pen from him and drew my signature across the page, at the bottom. When I finished, I was blinded with light and fierce pain settled on the side of my neck. I screamed in agony until it was finally over.

"What the bloody hell was that?!"

"You'll see – turn to the next page!" The boy seemed to be growing tired. I turned over to see another page filled with writing. "Read the first spell…!" And then, the boy fell limp and unconscious onto the ground. At that moment, my attacker started to throw himself towards me. I dodged and moved far backwards. In such a situation, my only choice seemed to be listening to the boy's advice and so I started to read the first spell on the page.

" _O' light from within, grant me a sword!"_ My book pulled away from my hands and suspended itself in the air as a bright light appeared above. It contorted into a long, scintillating sword that started to gradually fall. I held my palms out and it settled inside them with grace. I was shocked at the weapon's lack of weight despite its sturdy feel. Instinctively, I readied it and began to charge forward. I got into range, drawing close to the creature's body.

The light of my sword pierced the darkness that was my enemy. With a great howl, the creature died out like the flames surrounding our battlefield.

At that moment, I, Arthur Kirkland, began to venture down a new path.

* * *

 ***Cringes at chapter* I don't know how to feel about this. It's a little on the long side, I think. I feel that some of this is a little on the cheesy side. Tell me what you think! If any of you are reading this, haha.**

 ***Cue tumbleweed***

 **Bye for now!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Enjoy the third chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

* * *

I stood, staring wide-eyed at the space in front of me, where a life once existed. At that moment, an unusual fatigue began to overwhelm my system and I fell onto my hands and knees, with my breaths short and wheezy like an athlete's after a marathon. When I heard the sounds of light footsteps behind me, my head shot up sharply – I was still on high alert and my veins continued to pulse with fear. Standing next to me, his eyes peering down upon my form, was _that_ boy. The one who looked eerily like myself. The one who probably got me into this infernal mess in the first place. An irritated glare settled upon my features as I pulled myself to my feet, hobbling slightly as dizziness swept over me due to my jaded state. After composing myself, I asked a question that had been lingering on my tongue for a day now.

"Who the _fuck_ are you?!" The stranger's expression soured at my sailor's mouth, before it picked up to that peculiar grin he always held.

"I am Oliver Kirkland." Kirkland?! That was absolute hogwash. Unless he was some sort of relative my family weren't telling me about.

" _Explain._ " I demanded, rather forcefully at that.

"Of course. Should we sit first?" He led me towards a park bench, which was positioned close to the exit. We sat down. "Where should we start?"

"Why did you give me this… book?"

"It belongs to you. It is a mechanism for you to channel your energy."

"Energy?" _What?_

"Ah, well, all living things contain some form of energy. On the most basic level, it keeps you alive but in special cases, it can do so much more. You, Arthur, are one of those 'special cases'." So much for being normal.

"Why?"

"There are four types of energy. The weakest form is called _nul_ energy, it's not that great and it cannot be used on the battlefield or anything like that. The next form is known as _normal_ energy. It's quite rare but not exactly unheard of. _Normals_ with higher levels of energy may often possess a special ability. I, for example, am able to make things appear invisible at will." That explained his odd tendency to appear out of nowhere. "And the highest, most powerful levels are _light_ and _dark_ energy. That thing you just fought? It's actually a spirit from the _dark_ realm. But for a user of _dark,_ it was actually fairly weak. You're lucky that you didn't run into something worse."

"So to defeat that spirit I-"

"Used light energy? Yes you did. But judging by your tired state afterwards, you may have used a little bit too much. But of course, with rest and time, your energy levels should return to how they used to be."

"But why was I attacked in the first place?"

"The light and dark spirits aren't exactly on the best of terms… The kings of both realms have been at war for centuries. And unfortunately, it's escalated quite a bit recently and, at the end of the day, you, as spirit of _light,_ have a duty to serve your king. You can't avoid it really, it's what you were destined for at the end of the day. The powers of _light_ and _dark_ play a key role in maintaining balance within are universe but with the _dark's_ insatiable thirst for power and control, we are beginning to lose that balance. You understand, right poppet?" I furrowed my brows at the use of an endearing term.

"Mostly. If I were anyone else, I'd think you were off your rocker. But I don't understand what _you_ have to do with any of this."

"I was just getting to that part!" He let out something akin to a psychotic giggle. "I am your _parallel._ I am essentially some sort of clone created from your… waste energy. Any high energy, human _normal_ or _light_ or _dark,_ creates a parallel. Our duty is essentially to make sure that you fulfill your own… or attempt to. We're only here when you really need us."

"Okay…" I was completely lost.

"So, are we good?"

"I think so?" I gave a slight shrug, I honestly had no idea.

"Perfect! I'll be off then. Tata, until next time!" And with that, Oliver stood, smiled and left. I took that as my cue to finally go home, baffled and scared beyond belief.

What had just happened?

* * *

 **And that's it! This chapter is far too short for my liking but I'm making the next one really long to make up for it.**

 **REVIEWS_**

 **notvkawaii: Thanks! There is a little Franada in this story but I didn't want to add too much, haha. I may throw in a few other ships here and there as well.**

 **anti-pineapples: Thank you very much! Currently the chapters are very short but the next few should be a lot longer, especially the next one. I really appreciate the advice though.**

 **More information about updates on my profile!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! Sorry for the later update, I had a mock UN conference and History exam at school, which meant that I had to release this chapter a couple of days late. This chapter is mainly a filler really and nothing amazing happens but enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia**

* * *

When I got home, I ignored my family in favour of going upstairs and secluding myself inside my bedroom while engaging in a _lot_ of reflection. If yesterday wasn't weird, then today most definitely was. My head hurt as it struggled to contain the shock from my experience. Part of me believed that I was going insane. Real or not, I wouldn't be surprised. I decided to open my newfound book onto the contract that I had hastily signed in a moment of desperation. I read the text:

' _I promise to protect the kingdom of light at any cost._

 _I promise to remain loyal to my king or queen and their cause._

 _I promise to remain loyal to my fellow spirits of light._

 _I promise to fight for my kingdom._

 _I promise to accept the wisdom of my parallel._

 _And no matter what, I promise to give up what I love for my kingdom._

 _And when the time comes, I promise to die for my kingdom._

 _But most importantly, as the heir of light, I, Arthur Kirkland, solemnly swear to fulfil my destiny…_

… _and unify the two kingdoms.'_

Below that, my thoughtless, messy signature was printed in cheap, black ink. I was rendered speechless – what had I gotten myself into? Didn't Oliver say the two kingdoms had been at war for ages? If that was the case, then how was I supposed to _unify_ them? I felt a huge burden sink upon my weak shoulders. I turned the page again. Spells were scrawled across the first page and the second, and the third… What would happen if I recited one? I decided to restrain my intrigue as my family were only downstairs and I still felt quite tired from the previous battle. I fell backwards, sinking into my mattress, closing my book and holding it against my chest. I found myself growing increasingly drowsy and a yawn escaped my mouth as a result. My eyelids slowly began to flutter shut as I began to fall into a deep slumber.

 _I sat comfortable and content at the dining room table, practically inhaling the plate of fish and chips set in front (with my manners still in play, of course). In the seats around me sat my family: my mother, father, Scott and Peter. They never ceased to get under my skin but I knew that I wouldn't have them any other way. To me, they meant everything at the end of the day. We were perfectly happy, eating a middle-class dinner, in a middle-class house, as a middle-class family. What else could you ask for?_

 _Who would think that something so perfect could be lost in the blink of an eye? The possibility never crossed my mind that such moments could be our last. And at that moment, my vision grew severely distorted and a chorus of terrified screams erupted as my vision faded into a scarlet blur._

 _My sight returned. I wish it hadn't._

 _I was now kneeling on the floor, a body cradled in my arms, caked with blood. I recognised the face. It was… Alfred's. His eyes began to lose their astrological shine as they dimmed ever so slowly… The American lifted a hand to caress my shoulder but the motion was interrupted as it fell to his side. He mouthed something intelligible before the life began to seep out of his body. I felt…_

 _Hollow, empty. It was as if Alfred was important, that he meant something to me, even though we'd only just met. I couldn't wrap my head around it._

 _Once again everything faded to emptiness. I was alone, plunged in darkness, with nothing except…_ _ **that**_ _. That f***ing book, opened on the first page. The contract page. All the lines were ambiguous, blurred and confused, except for one._

' _And no matter what, I promise to give up what I love for my kingdom.'_

 _It seemed so obvious but I couldn't understand, something was missing…_

I woke up, panicked and perturbed. My breaths were short and irregular, as if I had just experienced a nightmare, which I had. I think. My memory refused to provide answers and it frustrated me to no end. Again it appeared in front of me, that book. It lay there, on my bedside table, as if it were entitled to. For several minutes, I lay there, gazing numbly at the ceiling, letting images and thoughts swim freely through my tired head. Unexplained fragments of my dream appeared within my memory, disconnected and unfettered. I found that one, was particularly prominent, playing over and over again, like a broken record or a song on repeat. It bugged me, especially because it was _him_ of all people. Why, after a few hours, was Alfred F. Jones stuck in my head? My mind struggled to comprehend it all.

Moonlight peeked through my bedroom curtains. I had slept for that long? And here I had thought that it was merely an afternoon nap… Going back to sleep was going to be quite the challenge. I decided to change into my pyjamas before anything else. Sleeping in uniform wasn't exactly the most comfortable of things. I opted for shorts and a t shirt, which was ideal as it was quite warm, as summer heat lingered into the beginning of September. I then buried myself deep underneath the covers, laying there idly until I plunged into a lighter sleep, hours later.

* * *

Once again, I found myself growling at my alarm in the morning, as high pitched rings resonated throughout my bedroom, reminding me of my many responsibilities. It gave my clock a fierce slap, as I heaved myself out of bed. The mirror was the first thing to greet me, yielding an unpleasant reflection. My hair was messier than usual, knotted and strewn about in different directions. It wasn't anything that couldn't be fixed with a quick brush, as it was short, thank goodness. Even then, it still looked quite disorganised. The brows were a different story entirely.

As per usual, I went through my morning routine and set off for school.

The traffic on the bus journey wasn't too severe and I found myself in my tutor room ten minutes early. Surprisingly, Matthew was already there, sitting contentedly in his seat and reading. I made towards my chair and upon noticing me, he made a small fold in his book and set it aside, before turning his attention to me.

"Hey Arthur."

"Good morning Matthew." I replied respectfully. "How was your evening?" Matthew appeared to shiver for a short moment but it quickly passed so I paid it no mind.

"I-it wasn't too bad. I had to catch up on a lot of coursework, since I joined late and all."

"Good luck with that, it isn't going to be easy." I sighed, even I had trouble with coursework and I hadn't missed a lot of my lessons. Actually, sleeping early last evening may not have been the most amazing of ideas…

"Thanks." He chuckled light-heartedly. "What lessons have you got?"

"I have P.E next." Matthew snorted at the reply.

"Oh, I think my brother mentioned something about having P.E next." The Canadian mused.

"Are you serious?" I groaned, leaning back into my chair. "I already have all my science lessons with him."

"I see I'm not the only one then. He drives me crazy as well."

"Ah yes, and you live with him as well."

"I guess you're right but he isn't always like that. Alfred's not that bad once you get to know him."

"Oh really…?" I felt my dislike of Alfred lift a little and felt slightly guilty for making such judgements about him. If I were close to Alfred, what would it be like…?

Well, I wasn't going to find out because I had no intention of befriending him.

' _It's because you want to be more-'_

I wasn't going to allow my brain to finish that sentence. I had no sort of attraction to Alfred, especially because I had only met him yesterday. Not to mention that he was a _boy_.

"Um, Arthur…?" I was snapped out of my stupor. "Are you alright, you were spacing out a little."

"What- huh, I'm fine." I shook my head slightly. "Sorry about that." I reddened slightly, embarrassed. Oh, it was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Hey Artie!" Alfred's arms grabbed me from behind in a loose hug, causing me to sputter, surprised. He released me shortly after. Like myself, he was clad in the school's P.E kit.

"It's _Arthur_." I moaned, rubbing my head. It was too early for this. "Good morning." Mr. Vargas chose that moment to march in, angrily clapping his hands and silencing the class.

"Right you bastards, get into pairs and get yourselves a basketball, one between two!" He bellowed, his voice echoing through the gym. Some of the girls' eyes gravitated towards Alfred and they started talking amongst themselves in hushed voices. Noticing, the American grimaced slightly.

"Dude, I've only been here one day and they're looking at me." He whispered not-so-quietly. "I don't get it." Well, I couldn't say I was surprised.

"You aren't the only one standing here." I crossed my arms and furrowed my brows slightly.

"Yeah whatever." Alfred dismissed, his eyes averting to the girls in the corner. "Hey, who's the one with the long brownish hair, she's kinda hot." My expression dampened at the crude comment. I followed Alfred's eyes towards the mentioned girl. Oh lord, it was _her_.

"Are you talking about Chantelle?" I sighed. "Honestly, she isn't the nicest of people – personality wise." I felt an odd resentment bubble inside me but I couldn't pinpoint why…

' _It's because you're jealous Arthur.'_ What a load of rubbish.

"Ah, I see." Alfred's eyes fell back upon me, as he lost interest. "Anyway, do you wanna be partners?" There wasn't any other person in this class that I could pair up with, so I found myself agreeing.

"I don't see why not." I shrugged. I flushed a little as Alfred gave me a gleeful, boyish grin in response. Honestly, being my partner wasn't that exciting. I picked up a basketball and gave it a few lame bounces as I walked with Alfred to an emptier space. I cursed as it slipped out of my grip and rolled across the floor. Just as I took a step forward, Alfred sprinted off and picked it up himself and then headed back towards me, flawlessly bouncing the basketball.

"Dude, your bounces are pretty crap." Alfred teased, giving an amused smirk. Embarrassed, I gave him a good glare – I didn't appreciate having my poor sports skills being made fun of.

"Shut your insulting mouth, you wanker. Everyone has their weaknesses." I spat, fuming.

"Haha, you're probably right man. Like, I'm totally awesome at Math, Science and Sports but when it comes to creative shit like English, I completely suck. They put me in the bottom set and everything!" For some reason, the American found that to be quite amusing and he started laughing to himself.

"I'm exactly surprised. You Americans can't seem to grasp the English language. Your incorrect spelling of words like _colour_ is a perfect example."

"What do you mean?! Everyone knows that it's spelled without the 'u'"

"It's spelt, not spelled." I corrected his flawed American grammar once again.

"What the fuck is _spelt_? I've never heard anyone say that before."

We spent the rest of the lesson, and break, bickering about American and English grammar.

* * *

I sat in the canteen, waiting patiently for Francis and Matthew. I found myself rather (pleasantly) surprised when I noticed Alfred heading towards me, with a short black-haired boy following behind. I recognised that the person happened to be none other than Kiku Honda. Had Alfred managed to befriend the boy? That was fairly impressive, considering that Kiku never talked to or made friends with _anyone_. Intentionally. I had attempted conversation with the boy several times before, yet I had always been brushed off in some way or another.

"Hello Alfred" I turned politely to the shier boy beside him. "And Kiku."

"Konnichiwa Arthur-san." Kiku spoke with timid haste, before giving a brief, curt bow. His auburn eyes averted to the side uncomfortably. Well, this was going to be quite awkward, wasn't it? Noticing the slight tension wafting about the air, Alfred chose to initiate some form of conversation.

"So Kiku's really good at drawing anime okay…" And it started from there. After receiving heaps of pressure from Alfred, Kiku pulled a sketchbook out of his bag with reluctance. As he did, I thought I saw a glimpse of a book that oddly resembled the one given to me by Oliver, except smaller and thinner…

I paid it no mind: it was probably my imagination.

Kiku gingerly set the sketchbook on the table, hesitating slightly before tentatively prying it open. In utter astonishment, I gawked – those drawings were _good_.

"These are amazing…" I gasped, my mouth agape slightly. "How have I not seen these yet? We're in the same Art class as well…"

"A-arigatou." He pulled the tiniest of smiles. "What kind of things do you draw? If you don't mind me asking." And with that, we began our conversation which stemmed onto various other topics, with Alfred pitching in every now and then. Overall, it was quite pleasant and I found myself getting on quite well with the boy.

We were interrupted as Francis and Matthew joined us at the table. Kiku returned to his former, more reserved state and my mood turned sour at the presence of a certain Frenchman.

"Oh, it seems we have company." Francis chuckled. " _Bonjour_!" He greeted as he sat next to me. It honestly felt quite surreal, with this many people, considering that Francis and I were usually the only ones here. I couldn't exactly complain though; sitting with the beardy for an hour was agonising, to say the least. It was definitely nicer with more people around.

"Oh yeah Matt, I want ya' to meet Kiku…"

* * *

After school, I was walking out of the building with Alfred, heading towards the school gates in order to leave, but I was interrupted as Francis suddenly grabbed me by the wrist and started dragging me off.

"Oi! Let go of me you fucking frog!" A screamed, as I was dragged away from an amused Alfred. "I was giving the yank a very important lecture!"

"You can flirt with your _petit ami_ later. Right now, I need you to come over and help me with my music coursework because as hurtful as it is to admit, you are superior in the subject."

" _F-flirt_?! I would never do something so _shameful_. I've only known the idiot for a day - dear lord, I'm not you Francis!" I ignored the rest of his explanation in favour of sputtering over Alfred. "And I also seem to recall you saying that I was 'far too sexually repressed' to do anything of the sort."

" _Mon Dieu_! Do not get so defensive. I was only teasing you."

"Look, I cannot simply come over to your house like this on such short notice."

"But Arthur, I _need_ your help!" I pulled my wrist free and crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow.

"Why is that?"

"Because I am behind in Music and I know that you are not." Francis got down on his knees. "Please, _mon ami_ , I know you hate me and I hate you too but this situation calls for desperate measures." The Frenchman beseeched. It was quite a sight. I relented, sagging my shoulders.

"Fine." And with that, he was jumping for joy.

" _Merci_!"

"Ah yes, but you owe me. Lots." I gave him a menacing look, I wasn't going to let the Frenchman win. "I want you to get me something nice from Waitrose on the way back."

"What?! I am not spending money on _you_."

"Alright then, I guess I shall not be paying you a visit." Francis pouted in defeat.

"Okay, okay, I'll get you some horrible British food."

"That's jolly good then." I pulled my phone out and sent a text to my family, letting them know that I was going to the frog's house for a few hours. I walked with Francis to a sleek, black Porsche, with a suit-clad chauffeur standing in front. He gave the Frenchman a bow and a polite greeting, before opening the door to allow him in. Then, a door opened for me as well, and I got into the backseat. I was overwhelmed by the smell of polished leather – the car was definitely well maintained.

Compared to Francis, I was lacking in money. While my family was quite well-off, Francis' was very different. His mother was a respectable and renowned business woman who was paid a hell of a lot and his father owned a Michelin star restaurant in Central London. It was quite popular, with lots of customers, who would willingly pay for food that was quite extortionately priced. I had been once, for the Frog's eighth birthday party or something like that – it was certainly an experience, no-one had ever taken me to such an extravagant place before.

* * *

We pulled to a halt in Francis' driveway, which was large enough to hold several other cars. I let myself out, with Francis following suit. After going inside and dumping our shoes and coats inside, the two of us headed for Francis' room. It was quite tidy: the desk was completely clear, save for a pile of school books in the corner and a pencil case placed neatly on top. Across the carpeted floor, straight and creaseless, lay a rug adorning the French flag and from the ceiling, hung a small chandelier, shining in its expensive glory. Of course, the room wasn't that refined because of Francis, no, his parents paid for that too. But worst of all, his bed, a king-sized wonder which provided far too much sleeping space for only one person. It sat, smack dab in the middle of the room, clothed neatly in soft, silky and overly extravagant sheets, which were pleasant to touch. To annoy Francis, I threw my bag carelessly onto the bed and threw myself atop the mattress, messing everything up.

" _Sacre bleu_ Arthur, do not soil my bed wearing your filthy school clothes." Francis snapped, his voice laced with irritation.

"That is no way to treat a guest." I gave jeering smirk, causing Francis' existing frown to deepen even further. "Wait." I paused, remembering something. "We didn't go to Waitrose." I stood up, relishing in the mortified expression on Francis' face. "We're going now."

"You cannot be serious!"

"Oh, but I am." With an exasperated groan, he stood up as well. We left, our bags and blazers dumped recklessly across the floor.

* * *

"Which one should I get?" I questioned, holding the two food items in my bag. "Scones, or Prawn Cocktail crisps?"

"Neither. They are both British and therefore inedible. I think that you should go for the _croissants._ "

"You know what, I never should have asked. You can buy both of them."

" _Je refuse_!" Francis argued. I folded my arms stubbornly, furrowing my brows into a fierce and demanding glare. "Ah, whatever."

"Yes, that's more like it." We headed to the self-service counters. With a lot of cursing, we managed to finally pay for my well-earned sweets, which we carried back with us to Francis' house.

* * *

"Would you like a crisp?" I questioned, a mocking expression across my features.

" _Non._ " The Frenchman's expression turned bitter as he watched me eat. "Let's start our work shall we?" He unzipped my rucksack and turned it upside-down, tipping the contents across his bed, including Oliver's book. Francis' eyes lit up with intrigue as his gaze fell upon it. " _Oh_ , what is this?" He picked it up, examining it. My curiosity elevated as it refused to open, even when he gave a solid pull on the latch.

"Here, let me try." I took it out of his hands and into my own. As it opened with complete ease, my eyes grew wide. "How could you not open it?" I raised an eyebrow, either Francis was more of a lazy sod than he let on, or something else was at play here.

"I don't know." The frog narrowed his eyes at me. "How and where did you get it?"

"I have no idea, this person gave it to me…"

" _Interessant…_ " Francis mused, as if he knew something already.

"What is it frog?!"

"Oh, it is nothing of importance _mon ami_ , do not worry." He dismissed me with a small wave of his hand. He sifted silently through my stuff, fetching my music folder from the newly created pile. "So for the song we have to compose…"

And then began tedious hours of studying. It was anything but smooth, as we were interrupted by numerous arguments, caused by Francis' incompetence.

That night I found myself relieved and exhausted beyond belief, and for the first time in several days, I managed to acquire more reasonable amounts of sleep.

* * *

 **I have to say, while this chapter is long, it's not amazingly descriptive and I felt that I rushed through some of it a little. I'm hoping that as I progress through the story and get the plot going, things will improve.** **I also just re-read the third chapter and realised that it was really cheesy and yeah.**

 **Reviews_**

 **tokyoghoul324: Thanks! You're definitely onto something about Alfred but I'm not going to reveal any specific information.**

 **notvkawaii: Yay, a second review, haha! Thanks a lot, I'm glad the plot isn't too boring or anything.**

 **Thanks for all the favourites, follows and reviews, I really appreciate them! More information about updates on my profile**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry! This update came one day late but it's been a hectic week. Our school had two bomb threats but they were both hoaxes, thankfully. I should be fairly free over the next few days, so I should update by Sunday *crosses fingers*.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.**

 **Enjoy the fifth chapter!**

* * *

On Saturday, I woke up in a shiver as my mother dragged the bedsheets off of my body and onto my bedroom floor, leaving me completely exposed. Naturally, a displeased groan escaped through my chapped lips, while I rolled over, folding my arms protectively across my chest. I lay on my side, facing away from my mother, who stood with her hands clenching her hips, agitated.

"Get up Arthur." She ordered. I opened my eyes which were previously scrunched tightly shut.

"Why…?" I protested, earning an exasperated sigh from my mother.

"It's eleven o'clock." I turned to face her.

"And? It's a Saturday."

"I know but I need you to go into town and run a few errands for me." I shot up in trepidation.

"What?!" My mother ignored me and instead, she settled with fumbling inside her pockets. She pulled out some lined paper and thirty pounds in cash. I raised an eyebrow as it was held towards me.

"Take this, buy what's written on that list and if there's any money left, you can treat yourself." I had to go out?! Oh, no, that was not happening, it was way too early for this.

"But-" My mother left before I could even protest. With a sigh, I threw my feet onto the floor, before pulling myself out of bed, which proved to be quite a challenge. I put on green flannel shirt, which I buttoned up to the collar, a pair of black jeans and a beanie that settled snug and comfortable upon my head. I rolled up my sleeves so that they rested above my elbows, as it seemed to be a little warmer today, considering that the sun shone quite brilliantly through my bedroom window. Of course, the moderate heat wasn't going to last, which was made clear as crispy leaves glided towards the ground outside, slowly piling up on the pavements. Autumn had yet to make a full appearance but I knew that within a matter of weeks, the temperatures would drop and the trees would begin to shed themselves bare.

I retrieved my phone, which was charging on my nightstand, and opted to give Francis a call. Three missed calls later, he picked up.

"Oi, frog, are you free today?"

" _Why do you ask, eyebrows?"_

"My mum's making me go into town."

" _Ah, I see. Sadly, I am not able to join you. You see, I made plans with_ cher _Mathieu today."_ Already?

"I hope you have a terrible time." I snorted, before seeing him off with an insult and hanging up. I shrugged, it wasn't as if there was anything I could do about it. I made sure to pick up the cash notes and the shopping list my mother had forced upon me and stuff them into one of my jean pockets, while I slid my phone into the other. After gathering everything I needed, I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen, before sifting through the cupboards in search for some bread and Nutella. Using the two food items, I made myself a couple of sandwiches, which I ate with a little haste. Routinely, I brewed some earl grey tea, which I poured carefully into favourite mug that had pictures of unicorns dotted about. Once the beverage had cooled slightly, I drank it eagerly, sighing blissfully at the way the warm liquid slid so soothingly down my throat. When I was done, I put all my dirty dishes inside the sink to be washed later and made my way towards the front door, where I took my keys, slid on a pair of combat books and quickly ran back upstairs to fetch my new book (just in case).With a quick 'goodbye' to my (probably still asleep) family, I left and started down the street.

As per usual, I found myself crossing through the park. Despite there being families and children milling about, I still eyed the area with raised suspicion and I found my hands warily brushing over my satchel. All the anticipation was for nothing though, as I had made my way through the park without any issue. My body visibly relaxed as I left but I grew alert once again when approaching the footpath where I met Oliver. Once again, nothing had happened and I emerged on the other side without any issue. After that, the feeling of adrenaline ceased to invade my veins. There was nothing to worry about at least.

Noon on Saturday generally meant that the town was busy, lively and filled with people, particularly students, who did not have to be at school on the weekends. I even recognised a few people from World Academy here and there. I saw Feliciano and Lovino talking, or even arguing over a coffee at an Italian café and I swear I caught a glimpse of Chantelle near some dirty blonde boy outside the shopping centre somewhere…

' _Is that Alfred?'_ I thought to myself but then shook my head, it could have been any old teenager. Alfred wasn't the only person with such perfect- I mean dreadful locks. My heart ached at the thought of Alfred flirting or talking with another girl. It was quite a peculiar feeling, one that my mind couldn't seem to comprehend. I found a plethora of different emotions swim confusedly inside me. What I didn't understand, was how I managed to get so worked up over what might have been Chantelle, spending time with, what might have been Alfred. I realised that it was probably my brain overreacting. It made sense, especially considering that I had woken up a little earlier this morning, even if it was actually eleven, which wasn't exactly the youngest of times.

I looked at the list written for me by my mother. It was slightly crumpled as I had carelessly shoved it into one of my tighter jean pockets but it was still readable.

' _Okay let's see… first up are some new plimsolls for Peter.'_ I noticed how that meant that I was most likely meant to venture inside the shopping centre, where Alfred and Chantelle may or may not have been standing outside. They were two very dislikeable people, whom I struggled to get along with and a public encounter with either of them was not on my to-do list. In favour of remaining hidden, I chose to hide amongst the crowds of people but as I neared the building, I noticed that many of them had oddly steered away from the centre's entrance. My eyes ventured to the two who I had been attempting to avoid, and I noticed that they were, in fact, Alfred and Chantelle. It didn't really come as much of a surprise really but I felt a little stung for some reason. To prevent myself from being noticed, I sprinted towards a pillar to the right of the main entrance to my destination. My head peeked out slightly, so as to get a proper look at the two. I wasn't spying on them or anything and I most definitely did _not_ have any feelings of jealousy which motivated me to do so. No, I was merely curious, that was all. Upon closer examination, it was made clear that Alfred was not communicating with the irritating schoolgirl in any way but rather playing a game on his phone instead. I also failed to pick up that next to Chantelle, stood a friend of hers. However, it was made clear what the girls' intentions were. They put on a flirtatious demeanour, whispering amongst themselves and turning to look at an oblivious Alfred every now and then. Of course, it was made clear that Alfred wasn't going to look up from his screen anytime soon as he focused his eyes fiercely at his phone screen, upon which his fingers were furiously tapping. I found myself smiling a little, the sight was quite endearing actually.

' _Oi, stop grinning at the yank like a lovesick fool and do your shopping'_ I scolded myself, flushing a little at the thought. I was in no way _lovesick_ , especially for Alfred Fucking Jones. I would rather kiss a frog. Wait no, Francis was a frog – I would rather kiss something else dislikeable. With a shake of my head, I left my hiding place and quickly darted through the entrance. But alas, fate was a cruel thing and at that moment Alfred happened to pry his eyes away from his phone and look up. I froze. Our gazes met for a moment and the American's eyes seemed to widen in what looked like pleasant surprise but before he could do anything, I pushed into the barren building.

Now, there was an odd, eerily familiar feeling about the atmosphere inside. Everything was open. Each and every shop had its door open and the lights turned on, as per usual. It was all pretty ordinary except for the fact that _not a single member of staff was in sight_. Not one. The tills were empty and not a single security guard could be seen. It was like that time at the park only a few days back. _It was like that time at the park only a few days back._

Oh lord.

I did what I knew was best and took out my book, opening it and chanting the first spell. Like last time, I had summoned a sword using my newfound abilities. I grasped the weapon tightly between the fingers of both hands, while once again, the book suspended itself in the air – which wasn't entirely surprising considering that I had seen odder things happen in the past few days. On high alert, I stalked forward, peering around and examining my surroundings. I had assumed that some sort of black flame would surround the area like on previous occasions but that had yet to occur. As far as I could see, there was nothing on the bottom floor of the centre. Oh I wish I were wrong. I took a look above me and floating above, was my enemy. It gazed down maliciously, fiery eyes boring hungrily into my soul. Before I could do anything, it swooped down in an attempt to attack. I was frozen with shock and therefore unable to move out of the way. In the nick of time, I blocked using my sword, not noticing that I cried out in sheer agony as its fist collided quite solidly with my chest. The spirit's hand erupted into flames that seared my skin and clothes. Tears pricked my eyes as I had experienced a new type of pain – it felt inhuman, had I not been filled with this _light_ energy, I would have found this to be worse. I suspected that compared to what lay ahead on my road, what I had just experienced in this instance could be likened to a mere scratch. But even then, it still _hurt_.

I exhaled in relief as the dark spirit pulled away. And did I just hear it _panting_? Had I tired it out? It didn't really matter because the thing was open to attack and I was not about to let that opportunity slide in favour of losing my life. This spirit seemed equally as weak as the last although I knew that my lack of experience had probably caused a lot more difficulties than there should have been. Without a second thought, I thrust my blade through the spirit's body and let its flames flicker out into the air in soft wisps of smoke. I took the book from the air and then into my hands before slamming it shut, which made fizz out into sparkles of _light_ energy. My breaths grew tired and I felt a slight drowsiness creep up inside me. Before I could collapse, I took several steps backward and leaned against a wall to hold myself up. I shut my eyes, resting until I had enough energy to return to my task at hand. The eerie silence that once lingered about had disappeared as people began to gradually file into the building. I felt comfort at the sudden noise; it reminded me of the untroubled world I used to live in and take for granted.

"Artie?" I pried my eyes open at the soothing sound of Alfred's voice. I feigned an expression of mild surprise.

"O-oh hello Alfred." I tensed a little as the American's eyes sported a suspicious glint within them. "What brings you into town?"

"Ah, well nothing important really. I just wanted to see the area and stuff – especially 'cause I just moved in." Alfred scratched his head slightly. He looked away, as if he were lying or concealing something of importance. "Mind if I join ya'?" My face was dusted with soft shades of pink: it was going to be just the two of us, spending time together…

I inwardly slapped myself for feeling quite giddy at such a thought.

"Why do you ask? I'm not the most intriguing of people."

"Uh, well…" Alfred looked down sheepishly, toying with the thick sleeves of his bomber jacket and was that a blush across his cheeks? "I guess you could show me around and stuff because you live here…" I felt a little hesitant to let Alfred tag along – from previous experience, I knew that if I allowed him, he'd never stop talking.

"I don't know, I have a few errands to run." At that comment, Alfred's once bright expression turned into one of dejection. The now downtrodden look about him caused a feeling of guilt to bubble up within me. It hurt to see him look so upset; it didn't suit Alfred at all.

"I see. I'll be on my way then." He turned around and lifted a leg, about to walk.

"Wait!" I wrapped my fingers quite fiercely around Alfred's wrist, making him release quite the squeak. "I'll let you come along but only because it would be improper for me to refuse your offer." I slowly removed my curled fingers away from the yank's wrist.

"Really?!" Alfred's eyes burned a brilliant shade of aquamarine. "Awesome – so where do we begin?"

"I have to get trainers for my brother first." I huffed in distaste.

"Brother?" Alfred inquired, perking up a little.

"Well _brother's_ actually." I started to walk and Alfred followed suit.

"Oh? So are you the oldest, youngest or…"

"I'm the middle child, which is… interesting." I sighed and blushed as Alfred gave a genuine laugh at my comment. This laugh was unlike his usual high-pitched cackle and it was more of an airy chuckle. I felt my heart pound harder inside my chest, each thump loader than the last.

"Oh wow. I'm like three days younger than Matt and it's pretty damn frustrating." The American pouted childishly, making me roll my eyes a little. I couldn't exactly say I was surprised really.

* * *

After a couple of hours, Alfred and I stopped at a café for lunch. We actually had quite the argument over whether or not to go to McDonalds and thankfully, I proved victorious by the end of it. I was honestly worried for Alfred's health when he ordered the sweetest fucking drink on the menu and then proceeded to buy several slices of cake. And it didn't seem I was the only one: the cashier looked very perplexed as they processed the order. While Alfred had ordered many unhealthy items of food, I had settled for a simpler, healthier option of tea and a Panini.

We took our food upstairs and sat on a table pressed up against a window that overlooked the town centre, allowing us to peer down upon the crowds of people meandering about the high-street. Alfred exhaled in contentment as he sank into his seat before burying his head into his arms on the table for a short while. He sat up again to talk to me. Our eyes met. We sat there for moments, completely mesmerized as blue met green and locked on each other, never wanting to pull away. It took a couple of seconds for both of us to pull away, our faces beet red.

I took a gulp of my tea, which was still very hot. I visibly winced and cried out in pain as I attempted to swallow the substance. My tongue momentarily lost all sense of taste.

"Dude, are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, don't worry." That was Alfred's fault. Yes, it was his fault for staring at me like that.

' _But you were staring at him too, Arthur.'_ I brushed off the stupid (honest) voice echoing constantly through my head. I was in no way staring into Alfred's amaz- horrid fucking blue eyes. No, not at all. In an awkward silence, the two of us started at our food. Tension hung about us until Alfred decided to break it apart. For the first time, I found myself grateful for his constant desire to talk.

"Did I tell you that Matt has this massive stuffed bear at home? He calls it Kumajirou – or at least tries to – it's so funny."

"Hey! I quite like stuffed toys. There is nothing wrong with them." And with that Alfred burst into laughter. "Oi! It's not funny you bloody wanker!"

"Yeah it is." Alfred snorted as his chuckles subsided. "But it's kinda adorable as well." He leaned in slightly, swirling his drink around in its cup and propping up his elbow on the table. I looked to the side red-faced and coughing into my fist.

"Well, I'm not sure that's the word to describe it." I snuck a glance at the boy sitting in front of me, only to see him grinning like an absolute fool. My heart skipped a beat. "So what do you think of the area?" I changed the subject in an attempt to save the conversation.

"It's pretty nice! I mean it doesn't beat America or anything but America's really awesome so it isn't much of a surprise."

"What makes the U.S so 'awesome'?" I scowled slightly at the dense comment.

"Okay, so first of all, the food is way better…" Once again, I found myself being drowned in Alfred's endless talk, filled with grammatical errors which made me internally grimace.

* * *

Strangely, the two of us found ourselves wandering about for a very long time and soon, we ended up perched on the swings in the park close to home. Above us, hung the evening sun, letting out a humble glow that turned the world a sweet orange. I glanced in Alfred's directions and marvelled at how the sunlight reflected so gracefully across his features. My rational thoughts suppressed themselves for a moment as I chose to indulge myself just this once. That plan was cut short when he chose to mimic my actions, which made a feeling of embarrassment grow inside of me. For a few moments, we sat there, rocking the swings gently back and forth in a pleasant silence as we reflected on the day's events. It was quite the outing: I had stayed outside _far_ longer than expected, showing Alfred the nooks and crannies of the area and introducing him to the community.

"You know what?" Alfred broke the silence but he spoke in a timid, gentler tone than usual. "I really enjoyed goofing off with you today." He let out another one of those airy chuckles. It sounded… rather sweet.

"I was _not_ 'goofing off'. My mother gave me some very important errands to complete, which I did." My attempt at a retort had clearly failed as Alfred started to snicker a little. I tried my best to repress a smile but it was to no avail, as my lips turned upwards slightly. And then I found myself saying something _really_ unexpected. "But I really enjoyed myself as well."

"Anyway, I should be heading back so… I'll see you at school then?" Alfred jumped off of his swing and I found myself following suit, seconds later.

"Yes, goodbye Alfred." The American turned around to leave before he started to walk off. But then, he stopped suddenly.

"Wait I- this is gonna sound weird but… could I get your number?" My cheeks caught on fire. This was starting to sound awfully like a date. I didn't know why but I felt compelled to say yes, and so I did.

"That seems quite fair." Alfred gave me his phone and I typed in my contact details before saving them.

"Thanks, dude! See you Monday." I narrowed my eyes at the evident grammatical error in that sentence.

"Farewell… idiot." I added an insult for good measure. We both turned to walk in opposite directions, with an idiosyncratic bounce in our steps.

I think it was safe to say that I considered Alfred a friend from that day. I found myself recalling Matthew's words at school:

" _Alfred's not that bad once you get to know him."_

Well, it would have been foolish of me to disagree – even if the yank was quite vexing at times.

* * *

 **How was it? I feel that more needs to happen in each chapter. When I read through the plotline, the story came up to over seventy chapters but I think I may have to merge a few together because some are fairly uneventful. I don't know, what do you think?**

 **I didn't get any reviews for the fourth chapter but thanks for all the follows and favourites!**

 **More information about updates on my profile.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Goodness, this is over two weeks late, which is... not good. I had so much work and so little time to write. I ended up getting very little written each day. I'll have a chapter or two done by next Sunday, if everything goes to plan.**

 **Hetalia doesn't belong to me.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

At school, Alfred practically stuck to me like glue. He had made the idiotic assumption that we were automatically 'besties' as I had given him my mobile number. On this particular Monday, I had the misfortune of having maths, chemistry and biology with him, which left only two lessons free. Unfortunately, I happened to have both of those classes with Francis and that was far worse.

At the end of the day, I found myself bursting with both joy and relief as I eagerly made my way towards book club. I felt all the repressed feelings of stress and frustration seep out of me as I reclined inside my seat. Around the room, sat several other club members, divided into small groups of friends who sat close together, conversing amongst themselves. The door opened. I straightened myself, as I assumed it to be one of the English teachers. Surprisingly, it turned out to be Matthew, looking quite unsettled.

"I-is this book club?" He squeaked. I cleared my throat, so as to capture his attention before giving him a small friendly wave. The idea of Matthew joining didn't seem too unpleasant; he was quite undisruptive and our conversations, even though they were few, proved to be quite meaningful. We both muttered a brief, polite greeting as he approached and seated himself.

"So what brings you here?" I inquired, curious.

"Well I'm hoping to catch a bit of peace." He exhaled, rubbing his head. I gave a knowing smile.

We spent around twenty minutes conversing and reflecting over a book we had just read. Matthew looked mildly confused as we talked about a story which he didn't know of. Afterwards, everyone contemplated what to read next – in the end, we settled with an older, classical novel. I watched in amusement as Matthew bounced with excitement upon hearing of the book and started to talk about it being really good. Before we were dismissed, we were asked to read around three chapters of the novel, which was rather easy actually. Then, everyone began to shuffle about, packing their bags and conversing at a louder volume. Matthew and I left the clubroom and headed towards our lockers, which weren't too far away. We threw in a few bags and some other miscellaneous items and then made our way outside of school.

After a few days, the two of us had become quite accustomed to going home together, with Alfred tagging along as well. When it was only myself and Matthew, our inability to socialise was made clear through the abundance of awkward silences. Usually, Alfred essentially acted as the conversation's catalyst – or rather, the entire conversation. I actually found myself missing the yank's antics as I walked home. Of course, Matthew was great company and I could honestly perceive him as a close friend in the future but I felt that he was sometimes _too_ quiet for my liking.

I jumped a little as Matthew spoke suddenly.

"It's a bit quiet without Al here, eh?"

"Yeah." I chuckled in agreement. "It feels a little odd actually." In only a matter of days, I had become fairly used to having Matthew and Alfred around.

We climbed off of the bus and headed into town. Once again, we walked without noise and all that could be heard was the bustle of the streets. The two of us continued that silence until we had to part and head in our own directions. As per usual, we shared a quick farewell and split up.

I turned onto a different street as opposed to my usual footpath, in order to make a brief trip to a corner shop nearby. I was feeling rather peckish after a longer, tedious day at school and I had quite a bit of change to spare. My pockets jingled as the metal of my keys collided with the few fifty pence coins lying about in my blazer pocket. I reached in and fumbled about a little, until my fingers brushed upon the silvery surface of the coins, which I then took out. Change in hand, I pushed open the shop's door and a bell sounded, alerting… no-one. Shelves of sweets and groceries were lined up neatly, stretching throughout the empty shop. I searched frantically around, but nothing was to be seen. Really? Again? I felt a vain pop, couldn't I go home in peace for once? I did _not_ appreciate being closely followed by ' _dark_ spirits' everywhere I ventured. I had only wanted to buy some fucking _food_ , but that was clearly too much to ask for.

I stilled as everything began to shake. Before it was too late, I threw my bag off of my shoulders, pulled the zips open and armed myself with the odd book. In the distance, faint yet heavy and threatening footsteps could be heard. My brows furrowed as sounds flooded in from various directions. Was there more than one of them? I found myself turning around, scrutinising each and every part of the shop. I felt nausea overwhelm me because of all of the fast-paced, dizzying movement. Everything was clear but I could still hear the sounds of life. Breaths, footsteps…

" _Hello._ " I heard someone snarl behind me, their voice low and menacing. My body twisted around. In utter shock, my eyes widened. The spirit, it looked more humanoid than the others. They were clad in ordinary clothes but a mask concealed their face and thus, their identity. I knew I shouldn't have been so surprised, I was a human myself. Even then, my previous encounters had most definitely not been with a species like my own and as a result, I had come to the conclusion that spirits of a human nature were more uncommon.

"Hey! Are you ignoring me?" I felt the _same_ breath tickle my ear. I shuddered and turned around, before backing away slightly. I noticed that in fact, there were _two_ human spirits, one of which was standing to the side, with their arms folded. Would they even be considered spirits if they were human? Argh, this was all too confusing for my liking.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! You perverted arsehole!" My voice went up a few panicked pitches. I received an uncannily familiar laugh in response. In fact, it lacked any sort of intimidating tone, which caught me off guard a little.

"Sorry man, I was just teasing." What?

"Oi newbie, what the fuck do you think you're doing?!" The other _dark_ spirit (or human?) scolded. This encounter was oddly light-hearted compared to the others. The spirit with no understanding of personal space rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "This ain't the time for flirting!"

"I-I wasn't flirting!" A stutter.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with." The second spirit cast a spell, summoning a pair of pistols. They glimmered with what seemed to be _dark_ energy. I fixed my fascinated gaze on a book held in his hands, which was almost of an identical colour and size to mine. Why didn't the spirits in my previous encounters have one? They appeared to just as perplexed as myself, as his blue eyes, which peeked through slits in his mask, were fixated quite firmly at the similar object within my fingers.

I refused to let myself get distracted and brought up my own weapon. Light blinded the room, making my enemies wince. I held my sword, its hilt secured tightly between my fingers. I felt reluctant to strike – these people were human after all…

So killing everything else was okay because they _weren't_ human?

I felt myself growing emotionally confused. Before I could dissuade myself and cower away from what was my 'duty', I ran forward, pointing my blade directly ahead of me. Just as I was about to land a hit on my enemy, I was pushed back rather roughly. Once again, a searing pain pulsed through my body. I recoiled and left myself open in the process. My enemy appeared to have cast some sort of defence spell. Before another attack could be issued against me, I put my guard up. It was futile though, the guy had _guns,_ for crying out loud and I was most definitely not able to deflect them like some kind of Jedi… Oh lord, Alfred's dorky interests were rubbing off on me. It had only been a few days since I met the idiot as well. I shook my head, now was not the time to lose focus and think of _him_ of all people. I braced myself, expecting an attack but nothing came.

Wait, why weren't they doing anything? Surely I should have been in some sort of agony, or dead right now.

"Wait, dude, where is he? He just vanished…" The two spirits appeared quite baffled as they searched around quite frantically for me. But I was standing right in front of them…?

Ah no, I recalled another instance where I had been in a similar position.

"Boo." I yelped and turned around to see Oliver, standing with his usual crazed smile across his face. "Oh, I didn't mean to scare you." He giggled a little, before turning solemn. "Listen, we don't have much time, we can only remain unseen for so long."

"Ah, right."

"Okay, I need you to try out a new spell." I could hear the other two talking confusedly amongst themselves in the background. "Did you notice how that spirit managed to deflect your attacks?"

"Yes…"

"They used a defence spell, which you're going to need to survive." Couldn't he have taught me that sooner?

"Right. What do I do?"

"Turn to the second half of your book." I complied, frantically turning through every page until Oliver told me to stop. "Recite this spell." He gestured towards it with a point of his finger. Then, with a wave, Oliver left, before I could even protest or ask any questions.

"There he is!" Ah yes, without Oliver and his abilities, I couldn't remain unseen. "Right, finish this sucker off." In response, the spirit with the pistols readied another attack. As their fingers rested upon the triggers, I brought my sword in front of my body, in defence, and hastily cast my new spell.

" _Light from within, grant me a shield!"_ The triggers were pulled. A thin beaming ring surrounded my form. Bullets were hurled in my direction but they turned to nothing but gloomy wisps of smoke as they neared my body. I ran forward at that moment, my sword at the ready – I needed to get this over and done with. Much to my dismay, my enemy was not ready to lose so easily.

"Damn, I liked using the pistols." They grunted, frustrated. "I guess I'll have to fight fire with fire." The pistols disappeared… and were replaced by a sword. It was much like my own, except darker and less radiant, which wasn't so surprising. For a moment, the spirit was left open as he attempted to get into some kind of battle stance. I managed to land a hard blow around their hip, which caused them to cry out in pain. "Shit, you hit hard." They hissed, dropping to the ground. I drew my weapon up, ready to deliver a second attack but…

I couldn't bring myself to do it. I took a step backwards and examined the damage which I had done. Scarlet liquid dripped onto the floor. That never happened when I was hit. Oh bloody hell, what had I done?! I leaned against a shelf for support as I felt myself grow drowsy from all of the 'energy' I had been using.

The second, uninjured person ran towards his comrade, who had fallen out of consciousness.

"Oh gosh, that ain't lookin' good." They fretted.

"H-how…?" I whispered, my voice hoarse with horror. My question was answered with a tense silence, which was then interrupted.

"Listen, you're going to pay for what happened to my friend today." They warned with menace.

"I… I'm sorry…" I mustered. "I didn't know…" And that was the truth, I was very baffled right now, amongst other things of course. I received a snort in response.

"That's just like you people of _light_ , always trying to be the 'good guys'." I felt anger bubble up inside me – my apology was quite genuine.

"Hey, I apologised, isn't that enough for you?! What else do you want me to do?!" I retorted quite suddenly. Frustrated tears built up around my eyes.

" _Leave."_ And so I did. I left the problem completely unresolved but it didn't matter. I was done with fighting these fucking spirits or humans, I couldn't even tell. I didn't care if I had some sort duty or destiny to fulfil; it was too much of a burden.

How many people would I have to hurt like I did today? I didn't think I could cope with that. A heavy guilt settled at the pits of my stomach. I had already _killed_ two others. Yes, they may not have been human but they were still… _alive._

I chucked the infernal book onto the ground. They could find someone else to 'unify the kingdoms'. How was that supposed to work anyway? Both sides were bent on murdering each other for goodness' sake. Unless… unless…

Perhaps the guy from earlier was right. What if the people of _light_ intended to take over the other kingdom? That would still count as 'unifying' them.

I was dwelling on this far too much. Their feuds had nothing to do with me anyway.

* * *

 **I felt this chapter was a little confusing towards the end. I wanted to keep the identities of the two people at the end quite ambiguous and it was quite difficult to tell which one was doing what exactly.**

 **I noticed that there's a thing that allows you to directly reply to reviews, haha. I'm still getting used to this site. I got so many follows/favourties/reviews for the last chapter - thanks a lot!**

 **I also realised this fic doesn't have a cover photo and my profile is lacking in a picture too, so I need to get around to drawing those or something, when I get time.**

 **Information about updates posted on my profile.**


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